PEA RIDGE — At 10 p.m. at U.S. military installations there is sounded a bugle call identified by various names as last call, lights out or “Taps.” This bugle call represents the ending of the military day.
Bugle calls or uses of horns were often used to give directional commands to armies on the field of battle and dates back to biblical times. The sounds of bugles or horns could be more distinctively heard than an armies ability to be heard by a human voice.
So, the theme of Last Call, Lights Out or “Taps” is to provide the venue to explain the situation of the Pea Ridge Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and its survival.
The Pea Ridge VFW Post 8109 was formed in1946. Some of the charter membership included the Walker and Prophet brothers. These charter members raised their right hands in the 1940s and swore an oath to support and defend this country. These men, these soldiers, did just that for most nearly four years of continuous duration.These brothers then returned home after exceptional, commendable and honorable service to this nation and continued their pledges to support and defend their country and communityof Pea Ridge by chartering the Pea Ridge VFW. Russell Walker, for one, has help build on this VFW Post for some 66 years. That post is now on the verge of collapse.
Pea Ridge VFW Post 8109 was named Wood-Hall. The Wood brothers, Thomas and Robert, were both from Pea Ridge. The family of Thomas Wood was notified of his death July 13, 1944. And, certainly while in the deepest mourning, the family was notified less than a month later, Aug. 11, 1944, Robert Wood was also killed in action. George Hall, also from Pea Ridge, was killed in action, Feb. 18, 1945, almost at war’s end. These Pea Ridge war heroes are buried in 12 Corners and Pea Ridge cemeteries respectively.
It would seem tragic for this namesake of Wood-Hall, Post 8109 to be unpatriotically forgotten. Each of these men gave all they could so we of Pea Ridge and the United States could live in this country of freedoms.
The VFW is a brotherhood, a sisterhood, a fraternity of military comrades that seek to promote patriotism. In the broad scheme of things, each locally situated VFW post spends probably some 90-percent of its funds to local community educational needs and community projects. The VFW post in Pea Ridge membership has gotten very sparse and requires new membership to continue. Without the new and younger women and men membership, wereturn to the theme of this writing and that is the bugle sound of Taps for Pea Ridge Post 8109. The Post is not in financial distress, seeking membership to continue.
The Post membership is primarily comprised of World War II, Korean, and Vietnam War veterans. The Vietnam War started over 50 years ago to understand the ages of these member veterans.
If women and men veterans would like to determine if their service meets the requirements for VFW membership, this can be found in the VFW national website of : http://www.vfw.org/ and click on JOIN VFW. If you lack access to a computer, you can write me : Ron Simons, 940 Eagle Crest Drive, Pea Ridge, AR 72751.
If you have a question youmay email me at : vfw8109@ juno.com and I will provide you with an answer. If you are an eligible veteran to join the Pea Ridge VFW, please consider joining.
The sound of Taps, as every military veteran knows, is truly a spine tingling experience. This sound is usually intended for a finality a ceremonial ending. Our hope is this will not be the fate of VFW Post 8109, a Pea Ridge legacy, since 1946.
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Editor’s note: Ron Simons is a member of Pea Ridge Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 8109.
Opinion, Pages 4 on 06/20/2012